Interference/obstruction vs. fair/foul

[KentuckyBlue]

Partner and I disagreed on a question inspired by a routine play in an NSA slow-pitch game (probably ASA would apply here too). Fortunately, this is how far we have to go for controversy this season. I bring it here for Mike & Co. to resolve.

Inning's first batter lifts a 40-foot pop-up halfway up the 1B line. Ball is bending and will clearly fall foul by a couple of feet. F1 and F3 charge for the catch across BR's base path within the three-foot lane as BR runs for first.

There wasn't any collision, the catch was made. BUT....had there been a crash, could there have been an interference or obstruction call considering that the ball was already going to be foul?

I said yes, and I would have called interference/out since runners must yield to fielders making a play. Partner said that if he had called anything it would have been obstruction with the BR awarded first, but partner probably wouldn't have called obstruction because the ball was (going to be) a foul. So what do the Panel-O-Experts think?

Evil wrinkles on the above: Would I be correct in calling against any player if I thought they had veered to cause a collision? Also...what if F1 and BR had collided and then F3 made the catch?

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by KentuckyBlue
Partner and I disagreed on a question inspired by a routine play in an NSA slow-pitch game (probably ASA would apply here too). Fortunately, this is how far we have to go for controversy this season. I bring it here for Mike & Co. to resolve.

Inning's first batter lifts a 40-foot pop-up halfway up the 1B line. Ball is bending and will clearly fall foul by a couple of feet. F1 and F3 charge for the catch across BR's base path within the three-foot lane as BR runs for first.

There wasn't any collision, the catch was made. BUT....had there been a crash, could there have been an interference or obstruction call considering that the ball was already going to be foul?

I said yes, and I would have called interference/out since runners must yield to fielders making a play. Partner said that if he had called anything it would have been obstruction with the BR awarded first, but partner probably wouldn't have called obstruction because the ball was (going to be) a foul. So what do the Panel-O-Experts think?

Evil wrinkles on the above: Would I be correct in calling against any player if I thought they had veered to cause a collision? Also...what if F1 and BR had collided and then F3 made the catch?

Okay, you asked for it, but remember, I am strictly....

Speaking ASA

The fielders have the right of way to field a batted ball. The BR must avoid interfering with the defensive player attempting to fields a batted ball.

Three foot lane is irrelevant to this play.

Evil wrinkles.....not as long as they were still within range to field the ball....Also, you as the umpire must determine if F1 was the player who had a bead on the ball. If so, once they collide, the ball is dead and F3's catch means nothing.

[SC Ump]

Originally posted by IRISHMAFIA
...The fielders have the right of way to field a batted ball...

I believe you covered this in the "wrinkle" paragraph, but I just wanted to make sure of my understanding of most codes: The umpire must decide which specific fielder has a play on the ball and only that fielder has the right of way to field the batted ball. The other fielders must yield right of way to the runner(s).

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by SC Ump

I believe you covered this in the "wrinkle" paragraph, but I just wanted to make sure of my understanding of most codes: The umpire must decide which specific fielder has a play on the ball and only that fielder has the right of way to field the batted ball. The other fielders must yield right of way to the runner(s).

Only one fielder is "protected" as only one can field the ball.

I don't think an umpire would refuse to protect any fielder which was in the proximity to make the play on the batted ball in the scenario we are discussing here (pop-up). My statement was made to denote that all the defenders in the area of the play have the right-of-way.

[KentuckyBlue]

Agree completely with Mike. Fielder making a play always has priority over the runner, thus dead ball / interference / out. I just wondered if the fair-foul status of the ball had anything to do with it. I seem to remember somehow that if the BR is running down the first base line past a foul-territory dribbling grounder that's bending back toward fair ground, and he sees the ball about to go fair and kicks it away while it's still foul, that there can't be interference on a foul ball. Don't know if that's right either, it might just be one of those rules fragments/outdated bits/urban legends kicking around in the dusty low corners of my attic.

Will call one more weekend of games and hang it up for the softball year. My 11th year of umpiring AA slow pitch has been interesting because of my association's switch from ASA to NSA. It's been fun and the changes have generally improved on ASA with a couple of glaring exceptions. I like the 6-10 foot arc height and I like that you don't have to call "illegal" and stick out your arm. (On a pitch over 10 feet or under 6, you just call a ball and don't even need to say why unless the pitcher asks. Big improvement, lots less confrontation with pitchers, way fewer confused batters.)

BUT: Somebody needs to tell NSA that their rule book is an embarrassment in need of a total overhaul. The rules are sound enough, but they're unclearly phrased in spots, sometimes vague and sometimes use informal diamond terminology that has no place in official rules. (Here to back up my argument I should give a few for-instances, but the rule book doesn't fall to hand and it's 10 p.m.) Plus, the typography is straight out of Microsoft Works, shabby. It could carry much more weight and would be cheaper to produce if it looked more like Official Rules and not like an instruction manual.

Guess I'll put on the stripes to keep in shape over the winter. Already can't wait for next spring. As I will tell my teams after their last fall games next weekend: Happy Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, happy December-holiday(s)-of-your-choice, Happy New Year, Happy King Day, Happy Valentines' Day, Happy Arbor Day and Happy Easter.

-- Ky Blue